RUDYARD, Mich. – As the second district in the U.P. to add a safety dog, St. Ignace Area Schools as part of Rudyard Area Schools added Zebra K9 Nova in Jan.
Rudyard Area Schools with a population of 600 students now has one dog, Gator, a 14-month-old yellow lab. Gator and their handler, Carlos Molina, who is a Rudyard resident and school alumni, did join the district on Tuesday.
The safety dog team receives funding through Michigan school aid funding 31aa to support improved school safety and mental health. While the full-time onsite safety dog team’s focus is primarily for firearm and explosives detection, they also provide a unique form of social and emotional support for students, teachers, administrators, as well as parents.
Waterford, Michigan-based Zebra K9 provides full-time onsite K9 teams to schools (seven districts representing 43 schools), hospitals, businesses, and events to execute its mission to save lives and protect communities in the places in which people live, work, and play.
